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A Strategy and Action Plan for Developing an USA-NPN/NPS Collaboration for Monitoring Phenology 18 March 2009 Background and purpose Phenology is the study of the timing of plant and animal life cycle events and how these events are influenced by climate variation. Phenological changes are the most pervasive and profound ecological events that regularly occur in many ecosystems, and phenology is a sensitive indicator of environmental conditions. In this era of rapid climatic change, changes in phenology are early and easily communicated indications of the expanding effects of climate change (IPCC 2007). The NPS and USA-NPN share goals to understand, communicate, and respond to phenological patterns, especially as these patterns change in response to rapid climate change and as they affect park resources. Many opportunities for NPS/USA-NPN collaborations exist, and this document articulates a long-term plan for developing relationships and activities that will encourage and facilitate mutually beneficial activities between NPS and USA-NPN. Vision USA-NPN and NPS will collaborate in monitoring phenology across park units, and in the evaluation, interpretation, and communication of results. This partnership will significantly contribute to our understanding of the response of plants, animals, and landscapes to environmental variation, including rapid climate change. The knowledge obtained will be effectively shared with park managers, visitors, staff, and scientists, and provide a clear and direct means for communicating the immediate and influences of a changing climate. Observed trends in phenology will inform decisions on the management of park resources and facilitate appropriate management response to rapid climate changes. Strategic Emphasis Areas Developments are needed in three critical areas to establish and sustain a long-term partnership between USA-NPN and NPS (and other organizations). These are: Monitoring and research (science): The core activities of the partnership are to establish widespread monitoring of plant, animal and landscape phenology, using methods and procedures consistent with USA-NPN guidance. A tight synergistic relationship between routine monitoring and research should be encouraged. Parks contain some of the most protected and unaltered landscapes that can serve as ‘baseline areas’. The partnership will thus promote the use of parks as “listening posts” for conducting phenological research, and engage USA-NPN and NPS staff in scientific studies that contribute to park management and to the broader scientific community. Information management: Phenological observations are most effective when they are aggregated into large data sets that facilitate detection and analysis of trends over long times and broad areas. NPS can contribute to and benefit from the national-scale focus of the USA-NPN by contributing observations to USA-NPN, and using the aggregate data to interpret results. Shared phenological observations across NPS, USA-NPN, and the wider scientific community benefits all partners involved in phenological monitoring. The information management system must facilitate routine ingestion of observation via electronic files or web-based entry forms, provide for simple data visualization and display, and allow 1 NPS staff to retrieve data in a format that is promotes their use. In addition, the system needs to provide for storage and retrieval of supporting documents such as species lists, protocols, and reports. Communications: A comprehensive communications program facilitates the transformation of data and results into information and knowledge. A successful communications program will use park-based and other observations to educate park visitors and staff about the importance of natural resources, climate change, the timing of phenological events, and linkages between organisms and their environment. These materials should inspire park visitors and volunteers to become involved in the collection of phenological data. The communications program will be fully integrated with other activities, so data and information are provided to the right people, at the right time, in the right format. Principles and Objectives for Implementation Given the size and complexity of the NPS and USA-NPN, we will need to embrace a multifaceted approach that promotes and facilitates individual initiatives. Operational principles that will nurture the relationship are to: Communicate regularly and attempt to keep the points of contact informed of related activities. Use or create products, processes, and methods that are general, facilitate reuse, and that contribute to the broader goals of the partners. This may include identifying and documenting standards or following established guidelines. Leverage strengths. Document roles, responsibilities and expectations. Implementation Approach Implementation will be both strategic and opportunistic. This plan will help identify priority actions that USA-NPN and NPS staff can actively promote and support, but field efforts – the heart of the partnership – will rely on support and good will from collaborators. These opportunistic field activities must be used to develop relationships, generate results and products, and demonstrate success. The specific requirements of field opportunities (e.g., for northeastern species lists) should, to some extent, drive the more specific activities that are (for the most part) not described below. Currently, there are two active partnerships that we should be certain to support: 1. A collaborative effort among NETN, APPA, ACAD, Appalachian Mountain Club, MEGA Transect, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, The Wildlife Society, and USA-NPN 2. Interest in phenology monitoring in CA led by the GB-CESU (Angie Evenden) Monitoring and Research Establish wide-spread monitoring of phenology in NPS units, using methods and procedures consistent with USA-NPN guidance. Promote and establish phenological research in parks, and the use of parks as scientific ‘listening posts’. General implementation: To achieve this goal, USA-NPN needs to provide guidance on the species to be observed and protocols for making the observations. Given the breadth of potential observers and users of the data, the procedures (eventually) should be suitable for more casual observers as well as researchers and professional monitoring staff. 2 A broad support base will be necessary to establish and sustain phenological monitoring and research in parks. Within NPS, the I&M Program, Research Learning Centers, and Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units provide key points of contacts and opportunities for engaging NPS staff. Connections to other programs will be essential to support research. These may include the emerging Climate Effects Network, EPA monitoring and assessment, NSF studies, or other sources of support. Objective MR-1: Facilitate use of USA-NPN methods by I&M Networks and other NPS scientists by providing guidance on species to observe and methods for observation that can be easily incorporated into an existing monitoring program. Priority Task or Action H M M L H M L M M H Lead Status Engage NPS staff in reviewing USA-NPN plant species list; add locally important plants as appropriate Identify priority regions for evaluating list Obtain NPS review of lists and suggestions for additional species (need to do by region) Draft protocol narrative for NPS use (can get from elsewhere) Identify and/or draft monitoring protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that USA-NPN promotes and supports as standards for observing species on lists. Draft data sheets and local databases to support USANPN protocols NPN Revise / modify protocols to NPS format. Develop evaluation and reporting SOPs ? NPS Distribute example products and scripts to generate results Identify I&M Networks most likely to contribute to or adopt phenology monitoring NPN NPS NPS NPN NPS Will begin with NETN effort in summer ‘08 NPN datasheets available; will be tested in NETN effort in summer ‘08 Will begin with NETN effort in summer ‘08 NPS NPS Done – APPA, SIEN; then GLKN and maybe AK. Objective MR1-2: Promote collection and recording of phenological observations by parkbased staff, volunteers, citizen scientists, and others. Priority Task or Action Lead Prepare and distribute educational/training materials that describe USA-NPN plant monitoring protocols, species identification, and recording observations. Includes hardcopy (or electronic) manuals, presentations, and supporting materials. Develop materials to train park staff or other volunteer leaders 3 Status NPS? BudBurst materials available. NPN to expand materials in ’09 and ’10. NPS? NPS does not so they can train others in monitoring methods Develop pilot program to test materials NPS Identify and promote cultural and historical connections between phenological patterns or focal plants (e.g., lilacs were planted by early homesteaders). How have seasons changed? Support development of phenology-related research projects in parks have expertise. (underway via BudBurst and CA parks) Local opportunities being explored in IN Dunes NL Objective MR-3: Promote the use of parks as “listening posts” for monitoring and as phenological research sites. Engage USA-NPN and NPS staff in scientific studies that contribute to park management and the broader scientific community by encouraging phenology-related research opportunities within park units. Priority Task or Action Lead Inform Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units (CESU) coordinators about USA-NPN and opportunities to contribute to program. Identify best opportunities. Angie (CA CESU) is promoting BudBurst and USA-NPN. What programs can CESUs support? Inform Research Learning Center Directors about USA-NPN and opportunities to contribute to program. Status NPS? CA CESU working to implement NPN and Budburst protocols in CA parks as appropriate both NPS Introduced; needs followup. Conversations begun with Great Lakes Research and Education Center Information Management (IM) Share phenological observations and information across NPS, USA-NPN, and the wider scientific community in a way that is efficient and benefits all participants. A focused information management system (IMS) provides the core framework that distinguishes USANPN from other phenological monitoring activities and organizations. The IMS needs to provide for data management (data ingest, QA/QC, summary analyses, data reporting, graphics, etc.) and it needs to 4 support virtually all other collaborative tasks by storing documents, communications, and all sorts of other information. The IMS includes web services and web site hosting, database management, and some aspects of data processing and analysis. Objective IM-1. Provide framework to ensure consistency in obtaining and managing observation data. Priority Task or Action H VH H Define minimal and full metadata requirement for posting data to the USA-NPN database. Develop script to translate NPS metadata to USA-NPN format Publish data dictionary with field names, data types and specifications, units, etc so data can be transferred from USANPN to NPS. Develop database founded on NRDT and consistent with USA-NPN standards for recording phenological observations H M M ? M Lead Status Publish tested protocol for electronic transfer of data into USA-NPN database Develop, test, and document scripts to export data in USA-NPN-compatible format Develop streamlined process to export / import data from USANPN to NPS to add value to NPS observations Develop overall ‘Data management handbook’ that either includes all the relevant information or that makes it easy to find Develop process for ingesting historical (legacy) datasets into USA-NPN database NPN NPS NPN NPS NPN May begin with NETN effort in summer ’08 or pilot in CA May begin with NETN effort in summer ’08 or pilot in CA NPS NPN ? NPN Objective IM-2. Provide one-stop-shop for information that supports phenological monitoring by NPS and other similar organizations. Priority Task or Action VH VH Lead Status Develop ‘how to observe’ guidelines Post plant phenology protocols on USA-NPN website NPN NPN Post training materials for how to take phenology observations on USA-NPN website NPN Develop mechanism for parks or individuals to share existing NPN 5 Complete Complete for plants currently on NPN list Materials first need to be developed datasets Communications, Education and Outreach (CEO) Widely disseminate information and knowledge of the importance and management implications of phenology, results from phenological monitoring and research, and the benefits of collaboration between USA-NPN, NPS, and others. Communications includes activities across academic, technical, and public audiences. This area is concerned primarily with creating or making accessible information content, while the IMS needs to provide infrastructure for displaying and serving the products. A key challenge will be to generate the information since there are well-established methods for dissemination within and across NPS. The Office of Education and Outreach, the Research Learning Centers, and the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units will likely be key participants in these activities. Objective CEO-1: Facilitate timely transfer of data interpretations and key messages. Priority Task or Action Lead Status ? Develop communications plan that targets key audiences, product formats, and frequency. M M Locate and distribute good examples of products Identify existing NPS mechanisms for communicating phenological information and the requirements to use these mechanisms (dates, formats, content, etc). Develop a plan using these to disseminate information and promote phenological monitoring. Coordinate with NPS Climate Change Program to promote phenological observations as climate change indicators. Who will create products? Lots of work. All NPS (done; I lead the science group) Objective CEO-2: Provide stimulating information to park staff and visitors about phenology, its importance to park resources, and about the National Phenology Network. Priority Task or Action VH Give presentations at GWS and other meetings attended by NPS Make available ‘fact sheets’ for widespread distribution Develop interpretative and education programs for park staff (USA-NPN has expertise; NPS can help with design and production) 6 Lead Status NPN NPN has a fact sheet – need to get into NPS format? Both Identify and package key messages to be communicated by park staff (e.g., what is phenology; why do we care; what can phenology data tell us); provide with some specific examples (e.g., spring bloom advancement; lake ice break-up advancement; asynchrony in pollinators/nectar plants) Develop template for park- or region-specific fact sheets highlighting trends or other results from phenological monitoring (perhaps follow Yellowstone examples) Articulate a number of park issues related to phenology ID contact people in parks to distribute NPN Both Lucy Terrell of Denali NP has expressed interest in working on this (would need salary) NPS/Both NPS Key Contacts Activity Key Organization POC Membership Responsibilities Theresa Crimmins (USA-NPN) [email protected] (520) 792-0481 John Gross (NPS) [email protected] (970) 267-2111 Species lists; protocols Education / Outreach Jake Weltzin (USA-NPN) [email protected] (520) 626-3821 Kathryn Thomas (USA-NPN) [email protected] (520) 670-5534 Abe Miller-Rushing (USA-NPN) [email protected] phone Angie Evenden (NPS) [email protected] (775) 784-4616 Ben Becker (NPS) [email protected] (415) 464-5247 7 1. 2. 3. 4. First POC; ‘traffic director’ Develop high-level plan Recruit help from organization Maintain communications with topic/major area leads. 1. Provide access to and advice on species lists. 1. Help achieve Communications goals. Activity Membership Responsibilities This document is intended to be updated quarterly by USA-NPN staff (T. Crimmins) and redistributed on an annual basis. References IPCC, 2007: Technical Summary. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 23-78. 8